detonat the explosives. police are believed to have killed the remaining three.thetalibanclaimedresponsibility for the attack, which was the deadliest to hit southern afghanistan in six months. nato has declared two crossings on cozumel -- kosovo's border with syria restricted areas, and peacekeepers have been checking cars for weapons. the move comes after ethnic serbs on wednesday attacked and set fire to a border post and fired atato troops. the european union urged both sides to restore calm. while western europe is still waiting for summer, russia is sweltering under heat wave. russians are battling to prevent a repeat of lastlyear's wildfires in which dozens of people lost their lives. >> the view from a fire fighting plane is disturbing. in southern russia, but also in the northwest and far east, foreign buyers are waiting, and peat bogs are smoldering. -- foreign fires are waging. they are ill-equipped to tackle the blazes. >> the heat and wind are a problem. we will keep at it as long as it takes. >> at least 7000 people -- experts and volunteers -- have been deployed t

of afghanistan's leading clerics. the president's brother was assassinated at his home on tuesday.thetalibanclaimedresponsibility for that killing. the commander of nato forces in afghanistan, and general david petraeus, has been holding security talks in pakistan as divisions deepen between washington and islamabad. the u.s. is holding hundreds of millions of dollars in security assistance. pakistan has called for an end to u.s. drone raids that have been taking an increasing civilian toll. >> u.s. drones' fly it around the clock in pakistan, targeting fighters in the mountainous region bordering afghanistan. civilians are often killed in the attacks. pakistan has condemned the ground strikes as a violation of its sovereignty, although some analysts believe they are carried out with the help of pakistan the -- pakistani intelligence. >> we are firmly against all terrorist groups. but we fight in partnership with other law-enforcement agencies. >> washington announced it was holding back a third of the military aid earmarked for pakistan, $100 million. airstrikes are putting more pressure